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Qui ter! tetra get rat @ffirn IMPROVED METHOD OF STARTING AND STOPPING CARS.

an scant Itittrth it in that ittfitrt patent ant making part at its same.

Specification of certain improvements in Machinery for Stopping and Starting Street-Oars, invented by ALoNzo G. OnossMAN, of Huntington, in the county of Suffolk, and State of New York.

The object of my invention is to utilize, wholly or in part, the power exerted in stopping the car, by means of an air-tight cylinder, and a piston working therein, which is connected by suitable gearing to the axles, or one of them, in such a manner that, by operatirig a lever from the platform of the car, the'inertia of the moving car will draw out the said piston, leaving a vacuum behind it, and by reversing said lever, the pressure of the compressed air on the outer side of said piston, and the vacuum within, will start the car'ahead, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth. In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a bottom view of my improved apparatus.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the middle of fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section, showing the parts to the right of the line at :v, fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a vprtical radial section, showing a clutch, which may, if preferred, be used instead of that shown in' the other figures. V

A represents the sill, or a portion of the bottom of the frame of the ear. Upon or connected to this frame is the iron bearing-plate B, having a bolt or shaft, 0, projecting from it, on which the large bevelled gear-wheel D is hung. This large wheel gears into two smaller bevelled gear-wheels, E and F, on the axle G of the car. These wheels E and F are both loose on the axle G, and allow it to turn freely within them, except when one or both are secured by the clutches a or b. The clutch a consists of a rod, having two fingers projecting from one side of it. The rod is set into a recess in the wheel E in such a manner as to have free lateral motion at its end, and the fingers are set astride of the disk 0, which is keyed to the shaft G. A pin, 01, passes through a projection, e, on the wheel E, the forked piece being set on the side of the, said pin, shown in fig. 1. It clutches the flange or disk when it revolves in the direction of the arrow, while it leaves the shaft G and the disk 0 to turn freely in the opposite direction without moving the wheel E. A spring, f, secured to the wheel E, bears against the forked rod, and presses the inner finger against the surface of the disk 0, and thereby insures the proper action of the clutch. By setting the forked piece on the opposite side of the pin, the clutch will work in the opposite direction, as it would be required to do when the other end of the car is in advance. I The clutch b is of the ordinary form, having projections on its face, which shut into recesses in the hub of the wheel F, I

and, being secured from turning on the shaft G by a prolonged key or rib, on which it slides,.it causes the wheel, when in gear with it, to revolve with the shaft G. The clutch is operated from the platform by the forked lever g in the usual manner. On the hub of the wheel D is a drum surface, H, on which the chain I is wound when the clutch b is in gear and the car moving in the direction indicated. by the arrow 1', to stop the car. The chain I is hooked to the piston-rod J, and, when wound on the drum H, it draws the piston K out toward the end it ofthe cylinder L, leaving a vacuum behind it, and compressing the air in front of it. On disconnecting the clutch b, by means of the lever g, the piston K is forced back by the pressureof the com pressed air, and by the vacuum, thereby revolving the wheel D, which drives the wheel E and the said wheel E, moving in the direction indicated by the arrow, the clutch a holds firmly to the disk 0, causing the axle G to revolve, and the car is thereby started.

When the car is moving in the opposite direction, the forked piece a is set on the opposite side of the pin d, and the operation of stopping and starting the car is the same, except that the wheels D, E, and F turn, and

the chain I is wound, in the opposite direction. A direct lineal motion is insured to the piston-rod J by the pulley M, which runs between the slides N andO, and by the frame P, which slides on therods Q Q. On one side of this frame a rack, R, is sen and a partial spur-wheel, S, operated by the crank T, to force the piston into the end of the cylinder, and expel any air which may enter by leakage when the piston K is drawn out; This device needs only to be operated occasionally, depending upon the tightness of the joints, and the conse-- quent amount of leakage of air into the cylinder. A valve, j, in the rear end of the cylinder, permits the air to pass out. w

In fig. 4 is shown a friction-clutch, which may, if preferred, be used inplace of the clutch b, and it would have the advantage that, if the force of the moving car were greater than could be overcome by the drawing out of the piston K, as described, the clutch would slip, and prevent the breakingof. the parts. It would not; however. h o certain and positive in its operations as the clutch b I claim as my invention-- j ation with the wheels D, E, and F, and suitable connections, the

1. The cylinder L and piston K, in combin whole operating in conjunction with the axle G, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the cylinder L, piston K, and wheels D, E, and F, of the clutches a and 7;, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the piston K and cylinder L, of the rack R, spur-wheel S, and crank T, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALONZO G. CROSSMAN.

Witnesss Tnos. 1?. How, H. JAMES WESTON. 

